The Pillar: May 13, 2022

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@fdupillar May 13, 2022

The Center of the Campus Conversation

Vol. XIII, No.I

CENTRALLY-LOCATED mail storage lockers meant for student convenience

By Natasha Watts Digital Media Editor

A new storage unit for packages was recently installed in the middle of the Student Center at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Florham campus.

These lockers will enable students to pick up their mail outside of regular mailroom hours.

After receiving an email notifying them of a package, students can request to have their package held in the storage unit. To pick up the package, students will need to enter the PIN number emailed to them on a small touch screen located on the lockers to open its door.

The lockers were a project spearheaded by Bob Valenti, associate vice president for auxiliary services.

He wanted to make the mail process more convenient for students on campus.

“After the mansion closes and someone gets a package late on a Friday afternoon, after 4:00 p.m., it usually sits in

the mailroom – and you can't get it until the following Monday,” Valenti said. “We've had some scenarios where it's been medication or it's been something that a student needed for the weekend or a faculty member needed, and we just can't get it” to them sooner.

Valenti came up with the idea from seeing laundry lockers, where students get paid to wash other students’ clothes and return them to lockers to pick up. “It's been four years of trying to get the laundry lockers on campus and get the laundry program in place,” he said. However, the laundry locker project never got off the ground, so Valenti turned to a different locker idea.

The package lockers might have not been possible if it weren’t for the pandemic, Valenti said.

“I have some money in an account that we use for

ishables will not be able to go

postage.

COVID

success, he said he would like

hit, I had extra money in

to move the mailroom outside

the budget that we already

of the Mansion in the future.

planned

“I'm trying to make it convenient for students. If I can't do that, my next option is to look at getting maybe some more lockers for other buildings.”

So,

when

before

the

fiscal

year started in July,” he said.

The storage unit does have its

limitations,

however.

Large packages and per-

into the lockers, and students have to specifically indicate that they would like a package to be sent to the lockers in order for it to be stored there.

Once a package is in the storage unit, students will have between 48 and 72 hours to pick it up before it is brought back to the main mail room on campus. For now, packages will still be mainly located in the Mansion mailroom. But this may change in the future.

At the Metro campus, packages will now be sent to the storage lockers. Valenti said that

“probably

all

student

packages will go in there, except for students on the Hackensack side of the river.”

At Florham, the future of mail may also be changing.

Valenti shared his idea for what he would like to see happen with the mail room on campus. If these lockers are a

Having the unit in the Student Center was a priority for Valenti.

“Hopefully this will bring more students into the student center,” he said. “Maybe a lot don't go to the dining hall all the time, don't go to the bookstore all the time, or don't come through the building for whatever reason. It’ll give them another reason to go there."

In the short time since the installation of the lockers, students have already begun using the units.

Students have had mixed feelings about the new system.

“I don’t know how much I like it yet,” said Senior Hanna Elkotni. She said that the process of picking up her package from the locker was very easy, but her main concern was about the extra steps adding time. She was able to

W h at ' s

pick up her package a day after receiving her initial email about its arrival. “It takes longer to get what you order.”

Elkotni also said “the machine is very loud.” While typing in the PIN number, the storage unit makes noises, and the volume is very high.

The success of these storage units, and all possible mailroom projects, is now up to student reception.

Photo by Victoria Mione

inside

WFDU celebrates 50 years, page 2 Commuter club shares goals, page 4 Opinion: Why I got my Covid booster, page 5 Book review: Gothic novel falls flat, page 7 FDU adds track and field team, page 8

2

News

Wfdu Celebrates 50 years

By Rachel Valkatavage Contributor

This summer marks the 50th Anniversary of the launch of Fairleigh Dickinson University’s radio station, WFDU(FM). The station began broadcasting on 89.1 FM to the New York Metropolitan area in August of 1971.

To celebrate the upcoming anniversary, the Radio and Podcast Club at the Florham Campus plans to host a 12-hour live stream event in order to raise money for a local charity.

WFDU’s creation marked a breakthrough for students within the Communications programs offered at FDU. The radio station gave students the opportunity to stream content of their choice, whether discussing music, televi-

sion shows, sports, or numerous other topics.

Today, the school emphasizes the importance of offering modern technology by establishing a s p a c e for these individuals interested in the broadcasting industry and granting them access to the same technology that will be used in their future professional careers, while also fostering a close community among individuals.WFDU and the Radio and Podcast Club pride themselves with being able to provide valuable experience with lasting im-

Courtesy of Zave Smith, Fairleigh Dickinson Univeristy

pact to the campus community. “I'd love to be able to get some actual advertisements for local businesses,” he said.

“If we are able to boost small business owners, especially now during the pandemic, it would allow us not only to expand our understanding of the radio business, but it also allows us to give back to the community that we've been so gracious to all these years.”

The Pillar is the student-run newspaper of Fairleigh DickinUniversity’s Florham Campus. We are run by students, for students.

Our goal is to represent the student body in a fair and consistent manner. We aim to deliver and ring to light news that directly effects the campus community and its members.

Editors-in-Chief Nicolas Magrino Victoria Mione

News Editor Ashley Spertudo

Sports Editor Adrian Reese III Student Voice Editor Samantha Potrille

FDU theater crew calls for less stress

By Nick Magrino & Ashley Spertudo Editor-in-Chief, News Editor

son

Managing Editor Sydney Hollins-Holloway

May 13, 2022

Business Editor Louis Mignone III Entertainment Editor Siarra Marquez

Digital Media Editor Natasha Watts Faculty Advisor Melanie Anzidei

In the Fall semester of 2018, Daniel Bilotto began his tenure at Fairleigh Dickinson University as a theater arts major with a minor in design and technical theater.

He had worked as a crew member on stage plays performed at his high school, and was looking to turn that passion into a career at FDU. In addition to a regular course load, students specializing in the technical theater concentration have to work as crew members on a majority of FDU theater productions.

Stagecraft I, an entry-level class in the coursework, requires students work on shows for 80 hours outside of regular class time. This includes building sets, hanging lights and being on the crew while shows are running. Bilotto, who graduated in the fall 2021 semester, felt the urge to work even more than required because, as he describes, it was for his major.

Bilotto estimated he worked over 300 hours in Dreyfuss Theater that semester.

“I think my first semester I definitely did more work than I should have,” he said.

Alumni and seniors of the technical theater program have had complaints about the hours they have to work outside of class time and the conditions they work in. Over the last 4 years, students have

learned to advocate for themselves, and professors in the theater department have responded to them. As a result, the program has improved the new student experience.

While working that many hours is uncommon among the average technical theater students, the workload can still be intense. According to Bilotto, crew members work 30 to 40 hours a week outside of class. During tech week, the week before the show is put on publicly, students on crew work between 60 and 100 hours, depending on what final tasks still have to be done before showtime.

Ernest Goff, a senior business management major with a technical theater minor, found that the culture of crew work can promote an attitude of working more than what is necessary, even at the expense of academics.

“It’s a culture thing,” Goff said. “You feel the pressure of wanting to perform for this group.”

Over the course of their four years at the university, Goff and Bilotto learned how to assert themselves and push for better hours. According to Bilotto, FDU’s technical theater director at the time, John Ehrenberg, was understanding of their problems. Ehrenberg would advocate for them to the theater department, he added.

“It became more of the culture to stand up for ourContinue on page 6

May 13, 2022

'mansion munchies' REPLACES 'SNAX'

“We couldn’t keep the same but they didn’t want it to

By Godwin Adedoyin Contributor name. We couldn’t keep what just be meals,” she added.

A new student operat- the old location just looked According to Mathai, the ed eatery on campus called like. We had to do something two professors involved, Mansion Munchies opened new,” Mathai said. “When John Niser and Domenick in March, replacing SNAX in we pitched it to the class, Celentano decided the rethe Mansion, which closed one of our other classmates branding would become a in 2020. class for Mansion students Munchinterested ies, unlike in tackling S N A X , an entreis a stupreneurial dent-run venture. e a t e r y Raymunfunded by do Morales Silberman is an interCollege of national Business. student and Students hospitality Photo by Victoria Mione prepare manageCori Martin (right), finance major and part of the marketing division at Mansion the food ment major Munchies, serves personal pizzas, one of their most popular items, to customers. and run involved in the establishment with instantaneously was like, that class. The class was disome input from professors. ‘Well, what about Mansion vided into three teams that The old SNAX “was kind Munchies?’ and we all liked handled marketing, food of a grab-and-go place,” said the name and stuck with it.” and beverage and human John Niser, one of the proAlong with the name resources and finances. fessors involved with the new change, the rebrand includes “Every department is in venture. “Before the pandemcharge of different charic, people who worked for acteristics,” Morales said. gourmet dining were the op“Marketing was in charge erators operating on campus.” of all of the research, According to Niser, workthe Instagram page, the ers for the gourmet dinpolls and the surveys. ing felt that SNAX was not The food and beverage getting enough revenue, department was in charge so they decided to close. of creating the menu and As the pandemic raged making sure that we are Photo by Victoria Mione offering affordable pricon, it was decided that there was no use for the eatery. Mansion Munchies also recently started es while making profit. offering milkshakes after student input Jasmine Mathai, a mar“The teams worked via Instagram, according to Celentano. keting and entrepreneurwith Gourmet Dining ship major, said the name a new menu, said Mathai. and other vendors to get change was inspired by peo- “We were trying to steer the ingredients for items on ple reaching out on Insta- away from just snacks be- our menu because as stugram asking if Chef Moe, the cause what people were tell- dents it's difficult to handle previous chef, or the original ing us is that they wanted food if we don’t have cereatery would be returning. more of a meal-type situation tain certification,” he said.

3 FDU BRINGS DEVILISH TWIST TO DISNEY WORLD

By Alessia Tarantola Contributor The Magic Kingdom recently landed at Fairleigh Dickinson University when the Florham Programming Committee organized an afternoon of food, games and fun for all students.

FPC’s goal was to offer an FDU version of Disney World through Devils World. It took place on April 22 on the Library Lawn. It marked the biggest event of

tions offered their activities.

Marotto explained that each land also had a custom-designed pin. If a student collected all four, they received a Devils World T-shirt.

Since the whole event took place in front of the Library, it was easy for students to participate. “Any student was welcome to show. They just had to sign in, sign a waiver and wear a wristband throughout the event,” said senior Samantha Rutledge, FPC’s

the spring semester, attracting many students with plenty of activities.

FPC is a student-led organization on campus that plans small- and large-scale events. Its members work with the Student Activities crew to “give the students the opportunity to create memorable college expePhoto by Alessia Tarantola riences on and off campus,” said senior Stepha- Some of the merchandise available to students who attended the event nie Marotto, president of FPC and lead programmer of its large-scale division. open member coordinator.

Since Disney’s Magic KingStudents could switch from dom is divided into vari- a ride through an obstacle ous thematic areas, Devils course to a jousting match to a World was split into differ- slide on an inflatable in a few ent “lands.” They were Ride seconds. When they felt tired Barrens, Pitchforkz, Ian’s and hungry, they could enMansion and Devil’s Lair. joy some free food from Cold Ride Barrens included Stone, Mexi-Boys and Glazed games, prizes and inflat- and Confused food trucks. ables. Pitchforkz was the FPC worked through a free-food area. Ian’s Man- university-approved vension was where custom mer- dor called Any Excuse For chandise was given away, A Party!, Inc, a New Jerand Devil’s Lair was the area sey-based mobile entertainContinue on page 4 where clubs and organiza-

4

News

May 13, 2022

commuter student association aims to improve lives OF ANYONE WHO USES TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO CAMPUS

By Victoria Mione Editor-in-Chief

While the Florham campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University may be a more residential school, that doesn’t stop the Commuter Student Association from trying to drive up their presence on campus.

Bryan Aguilar is a junior computer science major and the club’s executive secretary. He said their goals are to ensure that “commuters feel involved on campus” and that “their needs are met and acknowledged.”

Commuters aren’t limited to just students, either.

Aguilar said some professors and Gourmet Dining staff take the train also, or commute in other ways. They strive to improve the experience of

Devil's World Continued from page 2

ment company that provided the food trucks for the event.

FPC provided students with vouchers for food, said senior Meghan Kadambe Dhawan, a hospitality major with a minor in psychology.

For relaxing activities, students also have the option to go to Devil’s Lair to get temporary tattoos, create bracelets or make sand art paintings.

Devils World attracted both resident students and commuters since it was a Friday afternoon event.

FPC members decided to

all commuters on campus.

Photo by Shalin Mehta CSA Executive Board Members: (From Left to Right) Irving Adame, Ashley Torres, Bryan Aguilar, Monett Ibragimtchaev, Lisa Lentine

They want to tackle the transportation issues – such as keeping the gate open for the shortcut through Saint Elizabeth University’s neigh-

boring campus, as well as getting lights on the long, unlit traction line to Convent Station. Aguilar said they’re trying to contact New Jersey Transit about the lights, since the path is their jurisdiction and part of the path is owned by Saint Elizabeth.

They also would like to bring a shuttle back to campus. Because, if the gate can’t be kept open, and the trail can’t get lights, Aguilar said there should at least be a shuttle for commuters.

"Do you know how many campuses have the same system, where they take the students from one place to another?” said Aguilar.

Aguilar also said the commuter lounge hadn’t

ficult for the organize this original team big event to come up three years with the conago, but cept of Devils “because World, since of the efit was brand fects of the new. The curpandemrent team had ic, it was to plan activnever able ities suitable to hapfor a time when pen,” said COVID-19 is Marotto.

Photo by Alessia Tarantola still on peoShe and There were also games available for stuminds. the current dents to take part-in with their peers. ple’s Furthermore, large-scale division team worked to bring the team had to work Devils World back to life. with a smaller budget.

Planning Devils World was Marotto said that it was dif-

been cleaned in months.

Trash was inside the sofa, and the corners of the room and tables were dirty. At times, Aguilar would clean the lounge himself. At one point, there was a dead bug that was left there for weeks, he said.

There were also no boxes of masks available for students who forgot theirs when the school had the mask mandate in place, he added.

CSA also hopes to add more equipment, such as computers and printers, to the lounge, or at least improve the equipment already there.

Sophomore commuter and film major, Kayleigh Majewski, said the commuter population is already like its own club. “It is really hard to create connec-

One

of

the

inflatables

students

time-consuming, but both Marotto and Rutledge are satisfied with the final result.

They said it was very rewarding to see students enjoying the event.

Two things students loved were the free food and custom merchandise. The food in-

tions as a commuter,” she said.

CSA has run various events on campus, such as “Coffee and Cookies with Commuters” in the lounge, “CSA Goes to the Movies” in the Bottle Hill Room, and “CSA Goes Swimming” at the Recreation Center pool. These events were open to all students.

While looking to the future, Aguilar takes a glimpse at the past. He said a 2007 article titled “Commuters: FDU’s ghosts” and published in The Pillar, which was then called The Metro, still expresses how they feel.

But, he hopes to change that.

The Commuter Association can be followed on Instagram at @fduflorhamcsa, or you can check out their website.

may

Photo by Alessia Tarantola enjoy with their friends.

cluded ice cream, sweets and Mexican food, while the merchandise consisted of FDU foam pitchforks, T-shirts, devil horns and rubber ducks.

Students would like to see more events like this in the future, said Dhawan.

May 13, 2022

Student Voice

5

O P I N I O N : I G O T M Y C O V I D - 1 9 B O O S T E R , A N D H E R E ' S W H Y YO U S H O U L D T O O

By Natasha Watts Digital Media Editor

In 2012, I got sick and never recovered.

I fell ill with a glandular fever and pneumonia at the same time. The pneumonia was treated and cleared up after a few days, but my body wasn’t able to fight off the other infection, leaving my immune system in a state of limbo. My white blood cell count was through the roof, despite all the tests saying I wasn’t actively infected with the virus anymore.

My body continued to fight a battle that was long over and it took a toll on me.

I spent the majority of my teen years in bed. I couldn’t walk up the stairs in my own house without needing to take a nap from the physical exertion. The asthma I had grown out of as a child returned. I would preemptively take puffs from my inhaler before gym classes at school and before swim team practices, knowing that it wouldn’t be enough to stop me from needing constant breaks to gasp for air.

Eventually I gave up swimming, the sport I had poured almost 14 years of my life into. The chronic migraines were the worst. Every day, like clockwork, I went to the nurse at lunch to receive pain medication for the pounding in my head that stopped me from being able to think. The nurse and I became very well acquainted.

With my immune system already busy fighting a virus that was no longer there,

it now failed to respond to other illnesses. I lived life as a string of back-to-back infections. One week, I had yet another case of pneumonia, and the next I was coughing blood into the sink because of extreme strep throat.

My life became controlled by my chronic fatigue syndrome, short for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome or ME/CFS. I was no longer able to do things that used to seem simple to me. Breathing, walking, thinking, or being awake. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I had just become disabled.

Because of my compromised immune system, I qualify as part of the high risk group for the Covid-19 vaccine. I received my first two doses in February alongside many elderly people. The first

dose was fine. I got a little tired and my arm was sore.

The second dose knocked me

people, I knew I needed to get my hands on it. I booked an appointment at the Walgreens near campus and I went in for my shot.

I’ll admit that my expectations for this third dose were quite high.

I did not expect to have any symptoms, or at least not any that would affect me greatly.

I Courtesy of Phil Roeder was hoping out, though. I was wracked for a first dose situation, but with fevers and chills for days. landed in a middle ground.

At any point during those The third dose gave few days I was either con- me all the same sympvinced that I would never be toms as my second, but at warm again, or swimming a much less extreme level. in a pool of my own sweat.

I had the shot at 4 p.m., It felt like my body had gone and about ten hours later I into survival mode, and, at started to experience some one point, I was convers- chills and tiredness. My feing with people who weren’t ver lasted all night but I was there like an old victorian not visited by any apparitions woman battling consumption. this time around. Instead, But, hey, if I was affected it mostly just made it hard by the vaccine that intense- to get a full night of sleep. ly, then I can’t imagine how By 4 p.m. the next day, my hard actual Covid would hit fever had subsided and my me. Because of my chron- symptoms cleared up. It was ic respiratory problems, I’m a fairly quick process for some almost certain I would need added security in my life. to be on a ventilator, so I’ll As a high risk patient, gladly take a two-day fever even just living on campus over that chance any week. is terrifying to me. If everyAs soon as the Pfizer boost- one was vaccinated like they er shot was approved for high were supposed to be, then risk immunocompromised I would have less cause to

worry, but I know first hand that this is not the case.

An unvaccinated student in my class was infected with Covid. They sat near me with that virus in their body, in their breath which was being expelled into the room.

I wasn’t even notified by the school that I was in the same room as an active case. I had to find out this information through other people.

That student couldn’t have known how scared I am of dying, and they certainly couldn’t have realized how plausible that reality is for me.

I have almost been hospitalized for far less serious viruses.

There are students on campus who complain about masks being uncomfortable, and even have made petitions to stop wearing them. There are students who have made up excuses to not be vaccinated. These precautions are an inconvenience to them.

I’ll tell you what though, dying would sure be inconvenient.

Ventilators seem more uncomfortable than soft cloth masks.

Don’t complain to me about how you think your right to liberty is being infringed upon if it means actively denying me my right to life!

It’s a strange feeling to know that people around me value their comfort more than my life.

I’m glad to have my third dose of the Pfizer vaccine, because I’ll take my disabilities over death any day.

Maybe if you got your vaccine, you could avoid both.

6

Entertainment

May 13, 2022

PAMELA ANDERSON, TOMMY LEE BIOPIC SPARKS CONVERSATION

By Siarra Marquez Entertainment Editor

The world has to come to learn about Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee’s scandal after Hulu’s release of the series “Pam & Tommy” in February. Despite the show’s praise over the perfect reenactments by the actors, viewers fail to see the truth.

One of Hollywood’s most famous formerly married couples, Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, had quite the time in the 1990s when their sex tape was released without consent. For two decades, the tape was gossiped about, sparking much controversy over time.

Rolling Stone magazine claims the tape was released

by Rand Gauthier, one of

CREW

Continued from page 2

selves a little bit more,” Bilotto said.

Goff believes that many of these issues stem from the fact that the theater crew has few students regularly participating.

“The tech program doesn’t have the same strength as the acting program,” Goff said. “That is where the struggles are coming from.”

This, according to Goff, becomes even more problematic when it comes to designing the lights for main stage productions. Outside lighting designers do not design their vision for the lights of the show based on the limited manpower available to FDU’s crew, he said.

multiple electricians hired by the couple to renovate their Malibu mansion. After refusing to pay for work that “was shoddily done,” Gauthier was “ready to simply write off the $20,000 he says the couple owed him,” according to the outlet.

Once he and the general contractor re-entered the couple’s home on Mulholland Highway to retrieve their tools, Lee aimed his shotgun at them and yelled, “Get the f**k off my property.”

Students at FDU who spoke with The Pillar about

the series largely agree that the film industry unjustly attacks women for behavior that men are praised for.

Though Gauthier released

“in the wrong [for] putting the shotgun to their faces.”

However, she added, “what the workers should have done was gone to the police.”

As time went on, the scandal seemed to have become less of a talking point until Hulu’s release of the series this year.

While viewers have commented on Lily James’ portrayal of the ‘Baywatch’ star, some have begun Courtesy of Hulu.com to wonder whether the actual tape, FDU 2D an- Anderson was truly a victim. imation major Naia McGinn Men have been praised and shares her thoughts on who considered “godly” for havshe believes was in the wrong. ing tons of sexual intercourse She believed Tommy was compared to women. In a

2019 article, ‘Sage Journals’ reported that a study showed that, “for men, frequent sexual activity was more expected, and evaluated more positively, than for women.”

FDU Psychology Major Diana Andres Lopez said the creation of sex tapes “can be empowering for women if it helps boost their confidence."

It could also be empowering if society treated women the same way they treat men.”

Sara Kandis, a psychology and clinical social work major, called the hypocrisy “sexist.”

She said, “I feel as if Pam was not heard and was frowned upon in this situation … the male gender gets this rep … when it comes to intimacy.”

These elaborate plans lend to the perceived culture of overworking as those in crew feel obligated to meet these assumed expectations.

“It’s that ‘the show must go on mentality,’” said Goff.

“I think that phrase has turned into ‘the show must go on regardless of what else is going on in my life’”.

The theater program does have some ways to supplement the crew’s numbers. According to Bilotto, after a meeting with the theater department during his sophomore year, acting majors began to be required to do some work on the crew during their time at FDU for academic credit.

Stagecraft I, the class the department uses to supplement the crew, is open for students of any major to take.

Even so, there’s a limit to how much these measures actually help.

“It’s really frustrating when you’re trying to get people to help and no one shows up,” said Goff.

Both students suggested ways they think the technical theater program could grow.

Goff suggested that interested high school students could volunteer to be on crew for a day. He also thinks the crew should be featured more prominently on the theater department’s social media.

Bilotto thinks theater majors who are not in the technical theater concentration should have more credits in their audit that require them to participate in crew.

Currently, they only need 1 credit for crew participation.

Some other changes Summit has brought to the program include adjusting the hours students work to best fit their schedule and teaching students the proper way to do things in order to avoid injuries or damage. For example, according to Summit, students have been taught the proper way to handle stage flats, where previously they were moved without care.

New crew members are already experiencing the improvements made since Summit took over this semester. Griffyn Maddock, a freshman theater directing major, said that, thus far, she has had a positive experience as a crew member.

Anna Summit, technical director for FDU, has made a number of changes to the program that she thinks puts her crew members’ mental health first. Summit graduated from Centenary University with a Bachelor of Arts in production management and technical theater.

"A little stress is good, it builds character, you have to learn how to work through it in life. But I don’t want to get them to reach a breaking point,” she said. “I’ve done it too many times to myself in my life, so I’m trying to teach them to not do what I’ve done.”

Summit is working on ridding Dreyfuss Theater of what she feels is unnecessary clutter in hopes of creating a more convenient and safe work environment for the crew.

To read the rest of this story, visit our website.

May 13, 2022

7

Entertainment

book Review: best-selling gothic horror book falls flat

By Victoria Mione Editor-in-Chief

Caitlin Starling’s second novel “The Death of Jane Lawrence'' takes place in gothic Great Breltain, an imaginary country similar to Victorian England in a post-war world of magic and religious distrust. Her protagonist, Jane Shoringfield, is a logical woman living a calculated life.

But she can’t make sense of the things that go on inside her new husband’s manor.

Jane, a war-stricken orphan turned accountant, arranges her own marriage once it becomes necessary to find somewhere new to live. The Cunninghams, who took her in as a child, are moving out of the city and Jane doesn’t want to be more of a burden to the already helpful family.

Enter Augustine, a mysterious, talented doctor who blew into town less than three months prior. He is at the top of Jane’s list for a romanceless marriage. Initially, the doctor is taken aback by the proposal, but Jane proves herself a worthy partner with her brains, knack for business, and, when it comes down to assist-

ing in surgery, steady hand.

He agrees to her proposal on one condition: she is to spend the nights at his surgery practice and must never accompany him to his ancestral home, Lindridge Hall. On their wedding night, however, things do not go according to plan and Jane ends

shadows walking the halls.

The novel starts off strong; we meet independent, logic-loving Jane as she proposes her arrangement to Augustine.

She ogles him from the beginning, despite declaring she has no interest in romantic or

up at Lindridge Hall for the night.

This is the first time Jane sees the way her new husband transforms, becoming tormented by terrors that are unseen.

Lindrige Hall is dilapidated, covered in moss and ivy with parts of its structure crumbling.

Inside, it is just as old but not as rundown. Servants take care of the estate during the day, but retreat to their own homes at night. This doesn’t stop them from seeing the weird inner workings of Lindridge Hall, and Jane overhears them talking about a “red-eyed woman” and creepy

and bombings waged years before in which religion died in its wake. However, magic remains. For our narrator, this is hard to grasp: “The world was governed by logic and emotion, not esoteric power. Magic was not real. It was a fantasy, an impossibility, something from old superstitions,” as Jane insists in the book.

Courtesy of Macmillian.com The rules of the magphysical relationships and in- ic in this world aren’t clear and sists it is strictly business. This never explained. There was too changes rather quickly. While much attempt at mixing magtheir push-and-pull romance ic with math and medicine. is welcomed and exciting at Jane recognizes the methodfirst, the independent woman ical ritual of both, saying in initially introduced vanishes the book that her mathematpage-by-page as she gets even ics were “not so different from more wrapped up in Augustine Augustine’s magic. She could

THIS IS THE PILLAR'S Last print issue.

As we look to The Pillar's future and begin to pass the torch to our next editorial board, we reevaluate what is working and what

isn't. Our next Edittor-in-Chief, Sydney, has decided to not continue print issues for a multitude of reasons we've faced the past few years. Your

FDU news will still be available to you through our website, but the pandemic's impact on the decline of residential students and The

and his creepy estate, going to extreme lengths to save him.

Oh, did I mention this book takes place over two weeks?

Great Breltain is fragmented in the way it comes together around Jane and Augustine. There was a war against fictional Ruzca, fought for unrevealed circumstances with gassings

Pillar's budget has finally caught up to us.

The Pillar will continue to investigate, to report, to find the stories that matter to the campus community. We promise you that The Pillar is not, will not, and

bury herself in figures and equations, follow footnotes and stray thoughts until she’d filled sheaves of paper with annotations and experiments, practice and exploration. The book held the impossible, as surely as Linridge Hall did.”

The "impossible” of Linridge Hall is convoluted. Was it magic? Was it math? Was it medicine? It implied that “seeing is believing” and whatever it was, it wasn’t horrifying.

Body gore, however gross, isn’t scary. The book begins to unravel as Starling tries to cashin on her mysteries. Finding out Augustine’s secret didn’t propel the book forward. It fell flat, as did the rest of the book.

There were many moments when it seemed like the novel was coming to an end. A cryptic basement tomb, resurrected parents, or entering alternate worlds seem like good endings. But for Starling, these were all just plot points along the way. When Starling did find her ending – a long winded, confusing one at that – it takes a few rereads to understand it. And even then, you may be left guessing.

for the sake of the community cannot, go anywhere.

Good luck to our 2023 editors!

Wr i t e o n , Vi c t o r i a Mi o n e & Nick Magrino Editors-in-Chief, 2022

8

Sports

May 13, 2022

FLORHAM CAMPUS TO ADD TRACK AND FIELD TO ATHLETIC LINE-UP

By Adrian Reese III Sports Editor

Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Florham Campus will soon have a new sport: track and field.

Kendall Luy, a former collegiate track athlete, will serve as head coach of the team, which will be formed in the 2022-2023 academic year. Luy came to FDU from Texas, where she coached at Division III Schreiner University in Kerrville. Before that, she was an assistant coach at Division II Frostburg State University in Maryland.

Luy is originally from central Pennsylvania. She competed in track and field while in high school and continued her athletic career at Susquehanna University, primarily as a javelin thrower. During her senior year, she qualified for nationals.

Athletic Director Jenn Noon said the new program will be in good hands with Luy.

Noon said Luy’s experience as a head coach separated her from other candidates.

“The fact that [Luy] is young, starting her own program, and knows how to build her own program, I think, is key,” Noon said. “She knows a lot of people in the track and field world because of her playing days and coaching days, too.”

Luy said she is excited to create something new at FDU. “I hope being the first head coach, that I am bringing in student-athletes who are going to help the program succeed so that we have a nice long history and that 20 years down the road people are still trying to break the records from the team that first started” it all, Luy said.

Her immediate goal is to get recruits. By year five, Luy hopes to have a team with close to 40 men and women.

“It’s challenging to get people to buy into a brand-new program,” Luy said. She does have

some commitments from athSophomore Brendan Den- As a senior, he was captain of letes, but she wants a lot more. nis from West Palm Beach, the team, first in his county Noon said the track and Fla., is a wide receiver on for 300-meter hurdles, and field program will help build the Devils football team who was on pace to make states bestrong student-athletes at plans to run track. Many peo- fore the COVID-19 pandemic. the collegiate levple remember him showing “It’s been a el on campus. while since “I think it is goI’ve hit the ing to allow us to track but get more dual-sport I’m ready to athletes. I find a lot go back out of successful teams there and do well with ducompete,” al-sports athletes,” Dennis said.

Noon said. For E v e n example, athletes though the who play football track and field in the fall may also team won’t compete for the officially kick track team in the off its seaspring. Luy said son until Courtesy of Larry Levitan she welcomed the next year, idea of dual-sport Fairleigh Dickinson University has a women's and men's the athtrack and field team at their Metropolitan campus. athletes on her team. letes will be Noon said that track and off his speed with his kick- practicing this spring. They field will help with recruitment off return in the first foot- can’t compete yet, due to and retention because it will ball game of the 2021 season. NCAA rules. Luy said that provide more opportunities Dennis ran track in high four to five weeks of practice for students at FDU. She add- school in one of the toughest will take place after spring ed that competitiveness with counties for the sport in Flori- break, “just to keep up on a new program helps athletes da. He made it to regionals ev- the technical side of things.” improve their athletic abilities. ery year in at least one event.

A r e yo u i n t e r e s t e d i n w r i t i n g a b o u t s p o r t s f o r t h e p i l l a r ? L e t u s k n o w. w e a r e a lways l o o k i n g f o r n e w s ta f f e r s . r e a c h o u t t o u s at fdupillar@gmail.com for more Go, Devils!